68 replies to this topic

[Rasfahan]

Oh come on Rasfahan, did you expect 10M or AP level of support. It got my attention because I wasn't up to date, so to speak, to this "smart telescope" thing. Seems like a good outreach tool to get people excited for astronomy, I'm all for it, but I've seen some weird YouTube comments like how this new tech scares most advanced astrophotographers, like this will render a 17 inch Planewave system obsolete   

And what is so smart about it? WiFi, Bluetooth? integrated camera? phone connectivity?

People spend top $$ not to have wifi, bluetooth because they are not very reliable. Perhaps just a marketing hype, put "smart" in front of it and people will jump on it.

I really expected them to acknowledge the tilt as defect - it‘s quite a bit worse than in other samples that I‘ve seen. After 4 months and several mails back-and-forth their response war „it‘s within specs“. Both outcome and timeframe are disappointing. If done with slightly better hardware and better QC, the Seestar could produce stunning images of widefield targets. Currently, it‘s limited to „mediocre EAA“.

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Oh come on Rasfahan, did you expect 10M or AP level of support. It got my attention because I wasn't up to date, so to speak, to this "smart telescope" thing. Seems like a good outreach tool to get people excited for astronomy, I'm all for it, but I've seen some weird YouTube comments like how this new tech scares most advanced astrophotographers, like this will render a 17 inch Planewave system obsolete   

And what is so smart about it? WiFi, Bluetooth? integrated camera? phone connectivity?

People spend top $$ not to have wifi, bluetooth because they are not very reliable. Perhaps just a marketing hype, put "smart" in front of it and people will jump on it.

Outreach is the main reason I am getting one of these being in my 70's and handicapped (bad legs) loading up half my jeep with gear is not as easy as it used to be. When we have outreach at the Seagrave Observatory in RI I usually run the 16" Meade and I also set up my laptop with a ZWO camera on the finder scope to mimic what the people see in the main tube through the EP.  Kids will look through the EP and "say" they see the object but when they look at the screen they are amazed as they really didn't see it through the EP but there it is on the screen.

    That is what I hope to get with the S50, kids are used to looking at phones and tablets and it will be easy to show them the object.

    Secondly I was thinking of keeping it in my 2nd floor bedroom with a deck off it and I can quickly set it up as I go upstairs and do some observing/imaging.  I don't have an observatory at home, have to set up the mount and scope etc in the back corner of the yard so often don't bother.  We will see how easy it is or not.

 

But to me the main thing is ease of carry and setup for outreach.

[Chris Westland]

Thank you Rasfahan for a very solid review.  I just received mine in the mail yesterday, and tried it out in the evening.  I don't know where you found all of this information about internals, but it is really useful to me.   For $500 it's a solid little piece of consumer electronics.  I like the case (molded styrofoam) and carbon tripod -- very light and compact which is what this should be.  As far as details about the sensor, electronics and so forth, I didn't expect the same performance as my 10micron+CDK+ASI2600 image train.  I'll take it to a dark site tonight to see how it performs.

[hfsarber]

I really expected them to acknowledge the tilt as defect - it‘s quite a bit worse than in other samples that I‘ve seen. After 4 months and several mails back-and-forth their response war „it‘s within specs“. Both outcome and timeframe are disappointing. If done with slightly better hardware and better QC, the Seestar could produce stunning images of widefield targets. Currently, it‘s limited to „mediocre EAA“.

I've had mine for a litle over 3 months.  I noticed tilt from the beginning.  It was annoying, but acceptable.  It probably doesn't help that I'm using mine exclusively in equatorial mode.  That puts stress in areas that it wasn't designed for so probably will contribute to tilt.

 

I have been transferring ALL of the files from the Seestar to my PC.  I have been using ASTAP to check for tilt, but now I see that's not very accurate.  It did show I had tilt in both Alt/Az mode and Eq mode. 

 

I have opened the hood on mine and I agree.   If they had used metal gears, better glass in the front, and a larger sensor it would have been much better, but much more expensive.  Oh, I want it to be equatorially mounted, too.   Someday.......

 

Harry

[tbhausen]

I think some are better than others. I certainly see tilt in mine, but it's acceptable IMHO. I have some images here if anyone wants to make a comparison:

 

https://www.cloudyni...ving-challenge/

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Not to sound dumb but here goes...

 

How do I determine if I am getting tilt in my S50, what should I be looking for? 

 

All my Messier images are here https://theskysearch...pic.php?t=33415

 

they were all processed in the S50 no extra processing

[kz0m]

I think some are better than others. I certainly see tilt in mine, but it's acceptable IMHO. I have some images here if anyone wants to make a comparison:

 

https://www.cloudyni...ving-challenge/

Nice images with very little effort, thanks for sharing! 

[casati]

Not to sound dumb but here goes...

 

How do I determine if I am getting tilt in my S50, what should I be looking for? 

 

All my Messier images are here https://theskysearch...pic.php?t=33415

 

they were all processed in the S50 no extra processing

Use ASTAP or SIRIL with the final .jpg or .fits file

Best,

Peter

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I guess I will have to try Siril, currently I use Pixinsight and am very happy with it

 

This is M33 processed in PI

 

[mkupadhya]

Since the angle of view is quite small in SeeStar S50, especially for viewing the Solar Corona, is it possible to get a wide angle lens adapter, to be fitted in where the filters would go?  if so, any recommendations?

Edited by mkupadhya, 12 March 2024 - 02:04 PM.

[AstroPotamus]

Not sure there exist any such third-party add-ons as a wide-angle adapter, but you can see all sorts of filter holders on Thingiverse if you have a 3D printer.  Perhaps you could modify something there, but generally the wide-angle adapter would go on the front end optical element and I'm not sure there's a good way to do that a couple inches in front of the primary lens.  I'm not an optical engineer though, so perhaps someone could design such a thing.  Another option is to use the Seestar for the "Moon Eats the Sun" pictures in sequence, but use a wider angle DSLR or other stationary camera for the majestic corona shots.

Edited by AstroPotamus, 12 March 2024 - 02:52 PM.

[mrflibbles]

So it is Alt Az? Which means long exposures become rotated over time. However just an idea: Wouldn't adding a wedge make it Equatorial? DIY wedges are not super difficult to make and especially at the footprint that this thing is. I'm sure it wouldn't be that difficult to add clamps for the tripod feet so it doesn't slide. Am I wrong thinking this? I really am curious.

Edited by mrflibbles, 23 April 2024 - 01:52 PM.

[AstroPotamus]

There is talk of ZWO releasing firmware that will let it be used in equitorial mode.  But the existing software thinks it's Alt/Az so you can't just mount it on a wedge and have it track properly.

 

Having said that, I think it takes pretty good pictures.

 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[hfsarber]

I have been using mine in equatorial mode ever since I found out it could do it.  I got 3 hours integration on M51 last night in equatorial mode.  Works fine.

 

 

Harry

Edited by hfsarber, 23 April 2024 - 03:19 PM.

[AstroPotamus]

Hm.  I guess I missed that firmware upgrade.  I'll have to investigate.

[hfsarber]

There is no official equatorial mode firmware update.  When they added horizontal calibration it was found that you could fool it into working equatorially.

 

Here's how I do it:

 

Carry Seestar and tripod with fluid head outside (a wedge, ball head, etc. will also work)

Turn on Seestar

Using the fluid head I aim the Seestar at Polaris by looking over the top of the Seestar and get it close.  I used to have a red dot finder on it, but found it's not necessary.  Close is good enough.

Connect to Seestar.

Enter Stargazing mode.

Point the Seestar at an open area of the sky with at least 30 degrees available on either side.

Start Enhancing

The Seestar will perform a horizontal calibration and return to where it started.  If it fails try again.  It won't work unless it passes.

Pick a target and go to it.

Start imaging.

 

Harry

[mrflibbles]

There is no official equatorial mode firmware update.  When they added horizontal calibration it was found that you could fool it into working equatorially.

 

Here's how I do it:

 

Carry Seestar and tripod with fluid head outside (a wedge, ball head, etc. will also work)

Turn on Seestar

Using the fluid head I aim the Seestar at Polaris by looking over the top of the Seestar and get it close.  I used to have a red dot finder on it, but found it's not necessary.  Close is good enough.

Connect to Seestar.

Enter Stargazing mode.

Point the Seestar at an open area of the sky with at least 30 degrees available on either side.

Start Enhancing

The Seestar will perform a horizontal calibration and return to where it started.  If it fails try again.  It won't work unless it passes.

Pick a target and go to it.

Start imaging.

 

Harry

Very interesting, thanks for the info.

 

Being Alt Az is the only thing holding me back. A couple people in my astronomy club have one. I do live pretty far north so if I got a wedge it would have to be at a pretty steep angle (51*) but my tax refund might shrink a little this year it does look quite tempting.

 

I hope this thing sells well, and they consider an "advanced" version that is EQ. I understand they wanted super easy to use and they seem to have achieved that, but Polar alignment isn't "that" hard. I would snap it up if it was out of box EQ mounted. Not everyone who enjoys Astrophotography has unlimited funds.

[tarbat]

I do live pretty far north so if I got a wedge it would have to be at a pretty steep angle (51*)

I live even further north, at 57.5°N, and the wedge angle is less extreme than those living further south.  It's well worth the effort as it completely removes field rotation.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

Edited by tarbat, 24 April 2024 - 08:24 AM.

[AstroPotamus]

All this time, I've been waiting for a firmware upgrade from ZWO.  I had no idea!    Thanks!  I'll give this a try in June or July when it stops raining!!